Monday, March 21, 2011

MCPS Staff Petition for Cell Tower that Superintendent Weast Hasn't Approved

Did MCPS staff get a bit ahead of themselves?  MCPS staff have signed a Petition for Special Exception to place a cell phone tower on the Sligo Middle School playground without the approval of the Board of Education or even the Superintendent. 

We know the Board of Education hasn't taken up the placement of this cell tower in an open meeting, and according to this Gazette article, even Superintendent Jerry Weast hasn't yet approved the placement of a cell tower at Sligo Middle School. 

So why are MCPS staff signing off on a Petition for Special Exception and taking up valuable county government time to evaluate this Petition? Can MCPS staff just act on their own to build cell tower structures on public school property without the direction of the Board of Education or the Superintendent? 


Gazette: T-Mobile defends proposed cell phone tower at Sligo Middle
...Many residents say it is an inappropriate use of school grounds and that it will lower area home values and possibly have negative health impacts.
"It seems like a school site would be the last place — the last venue — you'd want this put," said Gary Lattanzio, a neighborhood resident who attended the meeting with his seventh-grade daughter. "If there's any controversy — any question — why put it on a school site?"
...T-Mobile must get a special exception to allow a commercial structure on school property, and MCPS Superintendent Jerry Weast must approve the tower and lease amount...
...All residents who asked questions at the meeting were against the tower, though Sligo PTSA president Lisa Feldmann said she is still undecided on the issue...

1 comment:

  1. This story almost mirrors the Gazette article about the pending (and now permanent) cell tower on the grounds of Cpt. James E. Daly Elementary School.
    http://www.gazette.net/stories/021506/poolnew192123_31963.shtml

    The BOE has set forth a policy on proposed cell towers. See here: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/ecn.pdf

    This process is handed over to and managed by TTFCG, a county committee whose sole purpose is to expedite the application process of all cell towers, including ones on MCPS grounds. Interestingly enough, an MCPS paid employee is a committee member who votes on these proposed cell tower proposals. http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgtmpl.asp?url=/apps/ttfcg/home.asp


    Because of the policy the BOE has implemented, they have washed their hands of any sort of decision making for cell towers on school grounds. This way, they don't have to vote on a cell tower installation or have it on their agenda when re-election comes along. Who would vote for them if they did?

    As for this piece of the article: ...Many residents say it is an inappropriate use of school grounds and that it will lower area home values and possibly have negative health impacts.

    Because of the Federal Communications Act of 1996, a cell tower installation cannot fail the approval process based on any sort of negative health impact argument because the FCC declares that there are no health hazards that coincide with the placement of cell tower structures….anywhere.


    And for the funds that will be giving to the host school, these are above and beyond any sort of approved annual budget for the school and the principal has complete discretion of the use of these funds. No one regulates the spending of this money except the principal of the school. What have the schools that have received cell tower money spent it on? Anyone know?

    Jennifer Kerchaert

    ReplyDelete

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